Gaming device manufacturers strive to make gaming devices that provide as much enjoyment and excitement as possible. Providing a secondary or bonus game in which a player has an opportunity to win potentially large awards or credits in addition to the awards associated with the primary or base game of the gaming device is one way to enhance player enjoyment and excitement.
Gaming devices having bonus games generally employ a triggering event that occurs during the base game. The triggering event temporarily stalls or halts the base game play and enables a player to enter a second, different game, which is the bonus game. The player plays the bonus game, likely receives an award and returns to the base game.
One known type of bonus game employs a wheel including several awards. One such bonus game is in the “WHEEL OF FORTUNE” gaming device manufactured by the assignee of this application. A multi-colored award wheel is attached to the cabinet of the gaming device. The award wheel is divided into several sections. Each section includes an award that ranges in value, such as from twenty-five to one-thousand. A player plays a base game that includes spinning reels and one or more paylines. When a wheel symbol is positioned along a designated payline on the third reel, the player enters the bonus game.
In the bonus game, the player obtains one opportunity or spin of the award wheel. The player spins the award wheel by pressing a button on the gaming device. Once the award wheel starts spinning, the player waits until it stops. An indicator located at the top of the award wheel points to a section of the wheel. The player receives the award on the indicated section for the bonus game. After the player receives that award, the bonus game ends and the player may resume playing the base game.
In other bonus games, such as the game disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,224,483, a player spins a wheel including several awards. The number of spins of the wheel provided to the player is based on the number of paylines that the player played in the primary game, the number of credits wagered on the paylines or a specific symbol or symbol combination is generated on the reels in the primary game. In this game, the player spins the wheel and obtains a single award, such as between twenty-five and one-thousand credits in each spin. The bonus game ends when the player has no spins remaining and the player receives the total accumulated award from the bonus game.
Other bonus games, such as the game disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,162,121, includes a plurality of wheels which may be employed in determining a player's bonus award. In this game, a wheel which provides the potential for a jackpot prize can only be activated if the player has previously achieved a predefined result on a previous spin of another wheel. For example, a first wheel is activated to spin. After the first wheel spins, if a predetermined result is indicated on the first wheel, a second wheel is activated to spin. After the second wheel spins, if a predetermined result is indicated on the second wheel, a third wheel is activated to spin. The player can receive the top award from the spin of the third wheel.
Gaming devices that increase the opportunities to obtain awards and increase the size of the awards are desirable. Players are attracted to games that provide several larger awards and the opportunity to obtain a large award. Therefore, to increase player enjoyment and excitement, it is desirable to provide new games for gaming devices.